Adjustable fountain attachment tor faucets



Dec. 8, 1931. 1.. c. RATHBUN ADJUSTABLE FOUNTAIN ATTACHMENTFOR FAUCETS Filed Nov. 25, 1929 INVENTOR v jauzlscfifiazihfiun,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES LOUIS C. RATHBUN, F OELWEIN, IOWA ADJUSTABLE FOUNTAIN Mme-11mm roe FAUCETS Application filed November 25, 1929. Serial No. 409,569.

My invention relates to improvements in fountain attachments for faucets and the like, and the object of my improvement is to supply such an attachment or device suitable for use as a bubbling fount or for other purposes, and further to produce an attachment of this type which shall have a minimum of parts, be inexpensive, readily applied to faucets of different shapes or proportions ad- 1 justingly, and also be self-locking upon a faucet when installed thereupon.

I have accomplished the above purposes successfully by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which are l5 illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wellknown type of faucet, showing in full lines my improved drinking fount attachment connected thereto in its lowered and communicating position ready for use, and showing in the dotted lines the raised position of the attachment as when in non-use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing the attachment in its communicating relation to the faucet.

It is to be understood that my invention herein covers various modifications and adaptions to effect the above purposes within the scope of the appended claims. 7

I have shown at 1 a typical wall faucet containing the usual valve (not shown) for manual actuation by a stem and crank handle 2. The faucet has also the usual downcurved spout 3.

My fount device comprises a semicircular open end tubular body 12 having an exterior stem 11 rigid therewith and transversely apertured to receive the stem of a screw whose end parts also traverse apertures alined in the spaced lugs 9 projecting from one end part of a flat relatively thin barspring member 4. These lugs 9 are spaced a little from that end of the member 4- and the said termination of the member 4 is 'recurved to provide an end hook 8. At the opposite end of the member 4 are clamp parts 5 projecting at right angles oppositely therefrom, bent curvilinearlyto surround the spout 3 and ,v having downwardly bent spaced and approximately parallel terminations apertured in line transversely to receive therethrough a screw-bolt 6 adjustingly compressing the clamp parts 5 upon the spout 3.

l/Vhen the clamp parts 5 are thus secured upon the spout 4, the flat intermediate part of the spring bar 4 lies longitudinally along the top of the spout conformably, the end hook Shaving been engaged with the end of the spout before securing the clamps 5. As this intermediate body t is elastic, it may be more or less sprung'or flattened respectively in order to seat it upon a spout 3 whether the spout be longer or shorter than that shown, adjustingly, and the resilience of the spring suffices to clasp the bar engaging upon the spout in either case.

It will be seen that as thus mounted upon the spout, the screw member 10 provides a hinge permitting the additional spout member 12to be swung downwardly into direct communication with the spout l, or when swung upwardly in the position shown by the dotted lines in said Fig. 1, to. then be be yond a dead center, and so as to be out of the way when the faucet is used for ordinary purposes.

In its lowered position the attachment 12 serves as a bubbling drinking fountain, when the faucet valve is partially opened, but when 7 the valve is further opened, a compact stream of water will be ejected from the attachment in an arch so that it will be received into any receptacle placed thereunder and entirely out of the way of the faucet combination. This is convenient when the faucet is of a certain shape or emplacement where there is little scope or space below the faucet spout 3 to contain a rather large vessel thereunder to receive water.

When the attachment 12 is inverted in its raised position, both ends open downwardly and cannot receive dust therein or other contaminations. The body 12 is easily removed or installed, and because of its simplicity of construction may be supplied at a low price. The bendable elastic member 4 with its end clamps 5 and its opposite terminal hook 8 reacts when so bent to be retained firmly upon the faucet as adjustably mounted thereupon. Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a downwardly curved spout of a faucet or the like, of a curvate tubular attachment therefor to serve as a fountain delivering upwardly, a bar spring applicable under bending tension substantially conformably to and along the upper face of the spout having a hook on its forward end to clip the delivery end of the spout, and having an adjustable clamping means on its rear end to clamp it upon the rear part of the spout, and a hinge connection between said bar and said attachment permitting the latter to be swung upwardly and rearwardly out of communication with the spout. v

2. The combination with a downwardly curved spout of a faucet or the like, of a curvate tubular attachment therefor to serve as a fountain delivering upwardly an elastic bar mounted under bending tension substantially conformably to and adjustably along the upper face of the spout and having a hook on its forward end to engagingly receive a part of the delivery end of the spout, said bar having an intermediate hinging connection to said attachment permitting it to be swung upwardly and rearwardly out of communication with the spout and to adead center position thereover, and said bar hav iug at its other end clamping members to secure it to the spout, with fastening means therefor for adjusting purposes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS C. RATHBUN. 

